Float control device



Aprilj 26, 192.7'.

l.. w. BROWNE FLOAT CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, '1925 Patented Apr.26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFI'cE.

LYLE W. BROWNE, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE FISHER GOVERNORCOMPANY, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA.

FLOAT CONTROL DEVICE.

- Application led January 21, 1925. Serial No. l3,766.

The object of my invention is to provide a float control device ofsimple construction in a liquid separator;

More particularly, it is` my purpose to provide a float for operatingthe valve 1n a pipe line connected with the container of'a liquidseparator according to the helght of the heavier liquid. The iioat ispivotally mounted and is of the hollow ball type and l0 the structure isprovided with means whereby the weight of the float may be accuratelyvaried, so that it will rise or drop according to the level of theheavier liquid and will not iioat upwardly in the lighter liquid.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of myfioatldevice. whereby the ob` jects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure -1- shows a horizontal sectional vlew through a` iioat cage andfloat mounting structure illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the same.

Figure 3 is a detail view-partly in 'section of the shaft for the floatarm; and

Figure 4 is a vertical, sectional view of a tank on which the iioatstructure is installed, the controlling structure being also shownpartly in section and partly broken away.

It is known that in the production of crude oils for example, itfrequently occurs that the oil comes from a owing well havinerconsiderabl'ehvater mixed with it.

It is necessary that the water and oil be immediately separated so thatthe oil may 40 be fed to a pipe line and the water discharged.

It is necessarv that water be kept from the pipe line by which the oilis conducted to the refinery and it is of course important that no oilbe Wasted.'

Crude oil with water for instance mixed therewith may be supplied to thetank .10 through the pipe 11. Oil may be dlscharged from the tankthrough the pipe 12 0 and water may be discharged from the tank throughthe pipe 13.

It is obvious that if the water can be maintained in the tank at apredetermined level the proper separation of the water and oil may beaccomplished.

Maintaining the waterlevel, however, is a somewhat diicult problem inview of thej fact that in different wells the proportionof oil and watercoming from the well may vary considerably, and even in the same well,the proportion or' oil and water may vary at diiierent times.

It is obvious that the oil will flow out of the tank 10 whenever itreaches the top of the oil outlet pipe 12. Therefore if water can bemaintained ata predetermined level under the oil and allowed to iiowaway whenever it gets above that level and restricted in its flow whenit gets below the level, the separation can be accomplished.

There is, however, some ditlculty in providing a simple fioat structurewhich will be effected by the rising and lowering of the wrter level andwill'not ioat too high in the o1 I have therefore devised a iioatstructure of the-,kind in which a hollow ball -iioat can be readilyvaried in weight so that it will flriat at the top of the water in thewater and o1 I have provided in connection with the tank 10 and on theexterior thereof at a height corresponding to the water level which itis desired to maintain a float cage 14, formed of a hollow casting.

The upper end of the float cage is supported on the tank 10 by means ofa pipe 15, which also provides communication between the interior of thetank and the 'interior of the fioat cage. A controlling valve 16 may bearranged in the ipe15.

The lower end of the oat cage is supported on the tank 10 by means of apipe 17, which affords communication between the tank and the floatcage. Flow through the pipe 17 is controlled by a valve 18.

`Where there may be sand or sediment in the oil or other liquid, it maybe desirable to connect the ioat cage 14 atits lower end with thedischarge pipe 13 by means of a pipe 19 in order to permit sediment todrop by gravity in a straight line to the discharge l control valve isplaced therein.

saV 1,626,504

pipe line. Where the pipe 19 is employed, a means of a detachable pin 61to the lever 58. The arms 57 serve as guides fer the lever The cage 14has an opening 21 at one side 58. On the lever I preferably use anadthereof. A member 22 having a hollow justable`counterbalance weight62. cone shape is provided for receiving the .The levers 39 and 58 areadjustably confloat arm hereinafter mentioned and vis nected by thefollowing means: A turn closed at its outer smaller end. The cage bucklerod 63 is adjustably pivoted to the 14 and the float arm receivingmember 22 lever 39 bymcans of apin 64 selectively re are provided withcoacting yianges 23 and ceived in one of a series of holes 65 in the 24,whereby the member 22 may be con-y lever 39.4 Similarly a turn bucklerod 66 is nected with the float cage by bolts 25 with adjustably pivotedto the lever 58 by means the larger end opening directly into the of apin 67 selectively received in one of a iloat cage. series of holes 68.Vin the lever 58. l v In the float cage is a hollow copper ball lThelrods 63 and 66 have right and left float 26. hand screw threads and areadjustably con- Rotatably mounted in the outer end of the nected `by aturn buckle69. member 22 is a shaft 27, one end 27 a of which The collar54' may be adjustably vheld on is rotatably received in a socket 28 onthe the extension 53 by means of a set screw exinterior of the member22, as shown inl tended through the collar and. engaging the Figure 1.extension 53.

The shaft 27. projects through the oppo- It will be seen that as thefloat 26 risesor lsite side wall of the member 22 through a lowers theshaft 27 will be rotated for lock stuffing sleeve 29 on which isa-stuiiing cap ing or tilting the lever 39 and the lever 58 30. Theportion of the shaft within the for thus actuating the valves 50.

member 22 is angular in cross section at 27?. v In order to insure thatlthe float 26 will lThe vshaft is provided with a passagel 31 rise andfall with the water level while in extending from its outer endlongitudinally the oil, shot may be poured into the floatbethereofA to apoint about midway of`the fore it is installed through'the hollow shaftlength of the angular portion 271 where it 27 and the hollow arm 35.

communicates with a laterally extending By determining the specificgravity of the passage ,32 shownl in. Figures 1 and 3. oil in comparisonwith that of the water, the On the angular portion 27b of the shaftfloat may thus be accurately weighted to asA '27 is mounted ,a fitting33 having an openfloat on the water `and to remain immersed ing extendedtherethrough to fit the shaft in the oil.

portion 27b and having formed thereon a Ordinarily it is only necessaryto put in socket 34 into which 4is screwed a tubular the proper amountof shot and no change float arm 35, which thus communicatesy with needthereafter be made. -If the oil in one the passage 32 and the passage31. section of the country varies slightly in spe- The arm 35 has ascrew-threaded connec'- cie gravity from that in' another section,

tion with the float 26 in such manner that the number and weight of shotin the float y' the hole in the. tubular arm 35 communicates may bechanged to suit the conditions.

A justably fixed a fitting 36 by means of a set with the interior of thehollow float. By taking the float cage ofi', any number 0n `the Outer.end o'f the Shaft 27 is adof shot'may be removed from the float.

J It will, of course, be understood that the screw 37. In the4 fitting36 is a hole 38 amount of oil standing above the water level which'receives a lever 39. The lever 39 line is fixed by the height of theoutlet, so

may be locked in various adjusted positions that it is not diicult to`determine what in the fitting 36 by Ameansof a set screw 40. weight ofshot should be placed in the fioat.

1 Arranged' in the discharge line 13 .is a By 'u sing the float thusweighted, it will valvestructure having the valve casing or maintain thewater level and there will thus body 41 provided with the inlet opening42 remain a Iixed column of oil above theq and the outlet opening 43 andvalve seats Water. The Water Will'be allowed to flow 44 and the valves50 arranged on a .common away whenever its level rises, and I have stem51. l f thus provided an effective separator for the The valve bdy has a@over 52 removably oil and water, which will operate regardless boltedthereto. The stem 51 extends through( 0f VerltOnS in the proportions ofloil and v the valve body cover 52. The cover 52 has Water supplied to`the tank 10. i

\ an upward extension 53 on which is mounted arm members 57.

' The` separator may be readily adjusted for a collar 54 having an arm55 on one side and liquids of different specific gravities by putanupwardly roj cting arm 56 on the other ting.,r in more shot or takingout some of the side -terminatmg vin the bifurcated ends or ShO. i y

' I 'claim as myl invention:

A -.valve lever 58 In a device of the class described, a float ispivotedto the valve stem by means of a-removable pin 59. A cage, ahollow float therein, a tubular float' link '60. is pivoted to the arm55 and by arm connected with' said float, ahollow pivot. membersupported on the wall of the cage and projectmg therethrough at rightangles to the said arm having its interior arranged in communicationwith the interior of said arm, and means for connecting said pivotmember at a point outside the cage with an operative mechanism, such asa valve, said last means including al ittng mounted on the outer end ofsaid pivot member for closing the end thereof, means for fixing saidfitting on the pivot member, and an arm mounted on said fitting.

LYLE W. BROWNE.

